Minutes · 〜分
The minute counter alternates between ふん and ぷん. Learn the main pattern: ぷん after 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 10; ふん after 2, 5, 7, and 9. The table also lists alternative readings.
- When to use it
- Giving the minutes in a clock time or saying how many minutes something takes.
- How many?
- 何分なんぷん — how many minutes?
Rows in yellow are irregular forms that do not follow the counter’s usual pattern.
- 1一分いっぷん
- 2二分にふん
- 3三分さんぷん
- 4四分よんぷん
- 5五分ごふん
- 6六分ろっぷん
- 7七分ななふんAlso しちふん
- 8八分はっぷんAlso はちふん
- 9九分きゅうふん
- 10十分じっぷんAlso じゅっぷん
- ?何分なんぷんHow many minutes?
Common times in minutes
- 15十五分じゅうごふん
- 20二十分にじゅっぷんAlso にじっぷん
- 30三十分さんじゅっぷんAlso さんじっぷん; use 半 (はん) for half past the hour
- 45四十五分よんじゅうごふん
Remembering ふん and ぷん
Use these as your main forms, while keeping the alternatives in the table in mind:
- ぷん (p sound) → 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10: いっぷん, さんぷん, よんぷん, ろっぷん, はっぷん, じゅっぷん.
- ふん → 2, 5, 7, 9: にふん, ごふん, ななふん, きゅうふん.
Group 1, 6, 8, and 10 together: their main forms have a small っ before ぷん. Then add 3 and 4 to the ぷん group: さんぷん and よんぷん. Say the whole forms aloud, rather than trying to predict the sound from the final letter of the number.
Examples
- 三時十五分(さんじじゅうごふん)です。 — It is 3:15, or quarter past three.
- 駅(えき)まで五分(ごふん)です。 — It is five minutes to the station.
- あと十分(じっぷん)待(ま)って。 — Wait ten more minutes.